Special Ed

Tremendous work from Ed Motta – a record that not only lives up to all the promise we've found in his music over the years – but which also goes way way beyond, and really knocks it out of the park! The title here is no lie, as Ed's a huge fan of AOR modes from the 70s – especially those magical sounds from the west coast that perfectly blended jazz, soul, and pop with sweet studio perfection – an approach he goes for wonderfully here, with results that are even better than we expected! Motta's always had soul music at his core, but has professed a strong love for Steely Dan over the years – and this set's a sublime balance of both modes – especially on this English version, where Ed's lyrics are able to reach American ears that have never been able to fully appreciate his genius. Everything about the album is totally right, and totally great – an instant classic set that should get Motta's music out to generations of fans for generations to come. The set features guest work from David T Walker and Bluey of Icognito – and titles include "Playthings Of Luv", "Simple Guy", "Lost In The Night", "Smile", "1978", "AOR", "Dried Flowers", and "Dondi". Includes two special US bonus tracks – "Marta (alt piano solo)" and "Mais Do Que Eu Sei". CD

Maybe the coolest record ever from this always-great group – one of the best contemporary acts to really get the sound of vintage soundtracks right – working here in a special package that features unusual vinyl, a great cover, and some amazing music within! The tunes are all from older Italian films of the 70s, all composed by the great Bruno Nicolai – but served up here by Orgasmo Sonore in this sublime blend of keyboards, strings, and other great elements – all with the feel of some vintage Ennio Morricone production! The LP plays at 45rpm, for extra-great fidelity – but it still features a total of six tracks that include "Panic In The Elevator", "Magico Incontro", "Sabba", "La Dama Rossa Uccide Sette Volte", "Gatti Rossi In Un Labirinto Di Vetro", and "La Coda Dello Scorpione". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic second volume of the Hip Hop Family Tree – a beautiful graphic telling of the growth of hip hop on the New York scene – done in the style of some oversized Marvel Comics special edition from the 70s! The presentation is wonderful – and surprisingly really does the history justice – giving a visual flair to the kinds of information we've learned from Jeff Chang and others, with a similar way of linking things together so that the individual stories become part of a larger cultural development! The paper stock is great – pre-aged, like some vintage comic – but the cover is nice and strong, and really gives the book some heft – a mighty sweet oversized edition, with 112 full color pages! Book

A stunning package for a wonderful collection – volumes one and two of Hip Hop Family Tree – both great volumes that tell the tale of the early days of hip hop – but presents the story in the style of a Marvel Comics tabloid from the 70s! Ed Piskor's approach to the material is really unique – and he extrapolates historical details into an extended narrative of the scene in the South Bronx, Harlem, and Queens with colorful comic-style images. The book is surprisingly respectful, and really does a great job of juggling all the personalities and historical details – while still also finding a way to make the music come to life on the page, especially the live events that strongly helped to create hip hop in the years before it was recorded. The special package features both oversized, full-color books with exclusive new cover art – in a super-cool slipcover – and a bonus comic book that teams up Spike Lee, Rob Liefeld, and Eazy E! Book

Oh how we love novelty rock – a tremendous genre that really boomed in the 50s and 60s, and which has sadly almost faded from view these days! Novelty tunes were all based around a gimmick – a high-pitched alien voice, strange sound effect, offbeat interview, odd instrumentation, weird lyrics – and used this gimmick in surprisingly catchy ways to craft funny little tunes that ended up doing surprisingly well on the charts. This excellent little set features 30 gems from the glory years of the genre – packaged with a surprisingly great set of notes that tells you more than you'd ever need to know about the songs! Titles include "Martian Hop" by The Ran-Dells, "Yogi" by The Ivy Three, "Mr Bass Man" by Johnny Cymbal, "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley, "Beep Beep" by The Playmates, "Haunted House" by Gene Simmons, "Leader Of The Laundromat" by The Detergents, "They're Coming To Take Me Away" by Napoleon XIV, "Who Put The Bomp" by Barry Mann, "Kookie Kookie Lend Me Your Comb" by Ed Byrnes & Connie Stevens, and "More Money For You & Me" by The Four Preps. CD

Killer reissue that combines both of the albums that Airto recorded for Buddah in the early 70s! The records were done with the help of Flora Purim and Hermeto Pascoal, plus Sivuca and Dom Um Romao – and they both boast perfect production, and just the right mix of Brazilian instrumentation and fusiony sounds. If you've ever heard one of Airto's weaker albums and wondered what the fuss was about, get this set and see how great he can be – because the record's got soaring jazzy Brazilian cuts that rank with the best stuff we stock! With the tracks "Andei", "Bebe", "Mixing", "The Tunnel", "On Sonho", Papo Furado", and "O Galho da Rosiera". 16 cuts in all! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest Turkish singers we've heard so far from the 70s – an artist who's maybe a bit more funky and a bit less fuzzy than some of her contemporaries – blessed with a heavenly vocal style that's often set to these very groovy arrangements! The language is beyond the reach of our comprehension, but there's a quality to the overall tunes we totally love – very much like some of the coolest, grooviest French or Scandinavian pop of the time – thanks to some very well-placed electric bass, sweet soaring strings, and the occasional Turkish touch to make for a nicely exotic vibe. A few cuts also feature some nice moog, too – which is especially wonderful, and gives things a really spacey quality – and titles include "Yorgun Gozler", "Falci", "Kabahat Seni Sevende", "Dane Dane Benleri", and "Evet Mi Hayir Mi". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid 80s grooving from Leroy Burgess & Aleem – a bit more hit-oriented here than in earlier years, but still plenty darn great! Burgess has really grown strongly as a vocalist by this point – shaking off the rougher indie edges of his roots, and going for a tight, professional mode that grooves in nicely along a range of 80s keyboard rhythms. The whole thing's polished, but never too slick – a sweet mid 80s balance that few groups could pull off this strongly – verging on the hits, but still keeping its indie roots intact – especially on some of the more street-oriented rhythm tracks. Title include "Love's On Fire", "Think", "Dance to The Groove", "Fine Young Tender", "Stay", "Confusion", and "Two Faces". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from Lorez Alexandria – an ultra-hip singer who recorded for Impulse and King, but who sounds especially wonderful on this rare date for Chess Records! The album's got a groove that definitely lives up to its title – a jazzy, bouncy sort of rhythm that's definitely "for swingers only", and which is a nice contrast to overdone torch or standard jazz vocal modes. Alexandria's singing is completely sublime – quite fluid, yet with a soulful depth that's really amazing – and her backing combo is equally hip – a group led by John Young on piano, and also featuring George Eskirdge on guitar, Jimmy Garrison on bass, Phil Thomas on drums, and Ronald Wilson on flute and tenor – an obscure player whose reed work really makes the album sparkle! The song choices are great too – a mix of some under-recorded gems and a few blue-toned classics – all redone amazingly by Lorez with a sound that's quite unique. Titles include her classic Argo reading of "Baltimore Oriole", which begins with an amazing drum/bass passage that's worth the price of the album alone – and other tracks include "The End Of A Love Affair", "Baltimore Oriole", "All Or Nothing At All", "Mother Earth", "Love Look Away", and "Traveling Down A Lonely Road". LP, Vinyl record album

Hardly the pop you'd guess from the title – and instead a really compelling batch of Kenyan soul tracks from the 70s! Slim Ali has a style that's very different than the other 70s African work that's been reissued of late – less straight funk, although the music still has plenty of funky elements – and instead this unique hybrid of modes that seems to run from southern soul down through Jamaican reggae, into some of the nascent African styles of the time! There's a nice mix of sounds going on throughout the record – no real unified approach, which keeps things interesting, and makes some songs sound out especially strongly – and titles include "Smile", "Keep On Doing", "Sing A Happy Song", "There's A Hard Time In Front Of Me", "We've Got To Progress On", "You Can Do It", "Home", and "Mauvano". CD

Hardly the pop you'd guess from the title – and instead a really compelling batch of Kenyan soul tracks from the 70s! Slim Ali has a style that's very different than the other 70s African work that's been reissued of late – less straight funk, although the music still has plenty of funky elements – and instead this unique hybrid of modes that seems to run from southern soul down through Jamaican reggae, into some of the nascent African styles of the time! There's a nice mix of sounds going on throughout the record – no real unified approach, which keeps things interesting, and makes some songs sound out especially strongly – and titles include "Smile", "Keep On Doing", "Sing A Happy Song", "There's A Hard Time In Front Of Me", "We've Got To Progress On", "You Can Do It", "Home", and "Mauvano". CD

Damn powerful work from tenorist JD Allen – working here in a trio format that really puts the reedman out front, and which gives him plenty of propulsion from the team of Gregg August on bass and Rudy Royston on drums! Royston's an especially present force on the record – snapping things into just the right sort of rhythm that allows Allen to take off boldly on his own – blowing in this trio format with the same sort of longspun creative intensity we love in Sonny Rollins' trio material at the end of the 50s! All tunes are originals by JD, too – fresh, crisp numbers that are very well-suited to the free-thinking qualities of the group – and titles include "Indigo", "Little Mack", "Naked", "Third Eye", "G-Dspeed B Morris", "Jawn Henry", and "Disambiguation". CD

One of Mose Allison's first albums for Atlantic – a great set of soulful jazz vocals, done in a rootsy style that has some slight New Orleans touches – and a nice sort of beat undercurrent! The sound of the set follows nicely from Mose's earlier work for Prestige and Columbia – with Mose on piano, plus Addison Farmer on bass and Osie Johnson on drums. The set features 10 tracks in all – including "I Don't Worry About A Thing", "It Didn't Turn Out That Way", "Your Mind Is On Vacation", "Stand By", "Meet Me At No Special Place" and "The Song Is Ended". CD

A sweet Latin-styled set from trumpeter Herb Alpert – but one that's got a very different vibe than his faux Latin grooves of the 60s! The set here is done with key contributions from both Juan Carlos Calderon as a songwriter, and Jose Quintana as a producer – both talents who really help Herb reshape his groove in a mighty nice way! Backings are big, and somewhat smooth – as in the "Rise" era – but there's also some Latin jazz elements in the mix too, and an overall approach that isn't nearly as cluttered as you might expect for the time – with an especially strong emphasis on Herb's trumpet solos in the lead. The set was the first issued on the A&M Latin label – AyM Discos – and also features a bit of Spanish language vocals as well. Titles include "Fandango", "Route 101", "Angel", "Aria", "Sugarloaf", "Coco Loco", "Latin Medley", "California Blues", and "Push & Pull". CD

Two nice ones from this overlooked singer! Bobby's got this slightly rough vocal approach to "It's Just Got To Be That Way" – but that's what gives the tune lots of charm, especially as a female chorus comes into support Angelle's lead over the very groovy instrumentation! The flipside's a famous tune, given a nice reworking – with a pacing and instrumentation that are different than the original, and Angelle's open, honest reading of the lyric! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Piano and violin come together beautifully here – the former by Barbara Higbie, the latter by Darrol Anger – who also plays mandolin and cello as well! There's an acoustic balance here that's more jazz than some of the other Windham Hill albums of the time – especially in the music's sense of rhythm and phrasing – and the rich acoustic tones of both players get wonderfully past some of the new age cliches that are too-often wrongly associated with the label – and remind us that at their best, records like these offer up a key flowering of the acoustic underground of the 70s. Mike Marshall plays guest mandolin on one title – and tracks include "Movie", "Tideline", "Above The Fog", "True Story", "Onyame", and "Gemini". Really great 2015 remaster – excellent sound and package – way better than the Windham Hill releases in the 80s! CD

A really unusual set from the Italian scene of the 70s – a record that still has some of the proggish traces of the underground at the time, but which also is clearly reaching out for new levels of expression too! There's definitely a lot of fusion in the mix – these long passages that have a nicely jamming jazzy vibe, especially on guitar and keyboard lines – almost with some of the spacey touches you'd find in the best American fusion of the period, especially the sort that was itself influenced by prog. There's a sweet female singer who brings in a slightly soulful vibe at one point, but the main focus of the record is instrumental – and titles include "Embrion", "Prima Realta", "Attesa", "Il Grande Disumano", and "Frammentaria Rivolta". LP, Vinyl record album

Swedish recording featuring an all-star band of American players like Nat Adderley, Lucky Thompson, Coleman Hawkins, and the great Benny Bailey – all playing as soloists with the orchestra of Swedish bandleader Harry Arnold. Benny Bailey is especially sweet here, and his solos on "Image" and "I Remember You" are worth the price of the record alone. Also added is Toots Theilmans, who solos on 2 tracks in his usual sweet style. LP, Vinyl record album

(Orange label Bill Grauer pressing. Cover has a split spine & some pen on the back.)

Fantastic funky soul from Steve Arrington – the drummer who got his start in Slave, then really exploded on his own with a host of great records in the 80s! This batch of tracks is from those key initial solo years – and the set not only features all the key cuts that Steve recorded for Atlantic, but also includes a number of never-heard jams that are from the same vintage, and issued here for the first time ever! Arrington's music has been out on the reissue market before, but never in a format that's as well-chosen, well-packed, and well-thought out as this one. Previously unreleased tracks include "Funk & Roll Junky", "Why", and "Mysterious Woman" – and other tracks include "Way Out", "Weak At The Knees", "Positive Power", "What Do You Want From Me", "Beddie Biey", "Hump To The Bump", "Without Your Love", "Tribute To John Coltrane", "Sugar Mama Baby", "Special FX From Mars", and "Summertime Lovin". CD

Fantastic funky soul from Steve Arrington – the drummer who got his start in Slave, then really exploded on his own with a host of great records in the 80s! This batch of tracks is from those key initial solo years – and the set not only features some of the key cuts that Steve recorded for Atlantic, but also includes a number of never-heard jams that are from the same vintage, and issued here for the first time ever! Arrington's music has been out on the reissue market before, but never in a format that's as well-chosen, well-packed, and well-thought out as this one. Previously unreleased tracks include "Funk & Roll Junky", "Why", and "Mysterious Woman" – and other tracks include "Special FX From Mras", "The Message", "Tribute To John Coltrane", "Without Your Love", "Summertime Lovin", "Hyperspace", and "Crazy About You". 10 tracks in all on the vinyl version. LP, Vinyl record album

A great debut from Arthur Lee Harper – an artist who might have been a folk singer a few years before, but who sounds a lot trippier on this rare album for Lee Hazelwood's LHI label! Harper was a minor hanger-on during the LA scene of the 60s, but was championed by Hazlewood – who produced the album himself, with light arrangements from Don Randi – both bigger names who work here in really subtle ways – especially Lee, given how different most of Harper's music is from his own recordings! There's a great undercurrent of sadness – those gentle strings and blue notes that Hazlewood might cut through with his own wry wit – but which Arthur takes as a cue to open up with some of the most heartbreaking sides of his vocals – with a sense of darkness that's almost in the territory of UK acid folk. Titles include "Sunshine Soldier", "Children Once Were You", "Blue Museum", "Living Circa 1920", "Valentine Gray", "Dreams & Images", and "Pandora". Great reissue also features bonus tracks – "1860", "Coming Home", and "Excursion 13". CD

A great debut from Arthur Lee Harper – an artist who might have been a folk singer a few years before, but who sounds a lot trippier on this rare album for Lee Hazelwood's LHI label! Harper was a minor hanger-on during the LA scene of the 60s, but was championed by Hazlewood – who produced the album himself, with light arrangements from Don Randi – both bigger names who work here in really subtle ways – especially Lee, given how different most of Harper's music is from his own recordings! There's a great undercurrent of sadness – those gentle strings and blue notes that Hazlewood might cut through with his own wry wit – but which Arthur takes as a cue to open up with some of the most heartbreaking sides of his vocals – with a sense of darkness that's almost in the territory of UK acid folk. Titles include "Sunshine Soldier", "Children Once Were You", "Blue Museum", "Living Circa 1920", "Valentine Gray", "Dreams & Images", and "Pandora". Great reissue also features bonus tracks – "1860", "Coming Home", and "Excursion 13". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly group soul from The Artistics – a quartet who already sounded great on the Chicago scene of the 60s – but who really opened up into something special with records like this! The group's harmonies were well forged on early upbeat groovers – which means that here, when they're kicking back a bit more they really take off – mixing voices and leads in this way that easily rivals the best east coast groups of the period – and which gets some massive kick at the bottom from the team of Sonny Sanders and Willie Henderson – both of whom bring in a gentle funk to some of the best numbers. Titles include their seminal "I Want You To Make My Life Over" – a cut that we never tire of hearing – plus "Being In Love", "If You Had A Change Of Mind", "Don't You Know That I Love You", "She's Heaven", "Look Out I'm Gonna Get You", and "This Love Is Mine". CD

Darn solid work from Ashford & Simpson – one of the duo's biggest albums for Capitol Records, and a great set from their 80s run for the label! The groove here is a bit more heavy on keyboards and beats than before, but the pair still keep things plenty soulful with their positive, upbeat approach to the music – rich, full, and always steeped in soul! The title track, "Solid", is one of the most-remembered tunes from the duo – and other cuts include "Outta The World", "The Jungle", "Honey I Love You", "Babies", "Cherish Forever More", and "Tonight We Escape". CD also features 4 bonus tracks too – "Street Corner", "Babies (ext mix)", "Solid (special club mix)", and "Outta The World (12" dub)". CD

Two sweet electro groovers from Ata Kak – originally issued on cassette back in the 90s, but very much at home here on a 12" single! "Daa Nyinaa" has this playful, bouncy house rhythm at the start – peppered with keyboards over the bassline – then a very cool vocal comes in, one that's partly rap, but seems much more this verbal assault that's more phonetic than lyrical – especially since we can't understand the language! The flipside's an instrumental, with this cool plucked string that dances alongside the keyboards – all in a mode that's more 80s electro than you'd guess from the date! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Rare work from an artist who was born in Ghana, spent time in Germany, and recorded this underground cassette-only release in Toronto during the early 90s! The music has this very odd pan-national style that references Ata Kak's Ghanian roots, but also brings in some cool electronics that must have been picked up while in Germany, and fused with a style that's almost early electro – especially given the lean approach to rhythms and keyboards throughout! Ata Kak sings and raps a bit – the latter not entirely in a hip hop mode, more in this rhythmic and explosive style that's very unique – and the whole thing's got a wonderfully homegrown vibe that really takes us back to the cassette indie generation. Titles include "Oabaa Sima", "Daa Nyinaa", "Yemmpa Aba", "Bome Nnwom", and "Medfofo". CD

Atlantic Starr definitely get straight to the point on this set – bursting out strongly with an upbeat groove from the very first note – all produced to perfection by maestro Bobby Eli, in the same manner as some of his other great late 70s work for other artists! The group's a big one, but they've got a lean focus here – a groove that has plenty of space for both male and female vocals, as well as a lot of instrumentation – yet never gets bogged down at all. Rhythms have a bit of boogie, and some older ensemble funk modes – and the vocals of Sharon Bryant are especially nice, cutting with a slight feminine edge against the more masculine leanings of the combo. Titles include "Kissin Power", "Straight To The Point", "Bullseye", "What'Cha Feel Inside", "Losin You", "Fallin In Love With You", and "Let The Spirit Move Ya". CD

Their classic double live set from the mid 70s, and as tight a batch of grooves as you'll find on their studio albums! In fact, this one might even be tighter, as it's got a good set of classic tracks performed live, with a sound that's a little bit more uptight and open than the studio versions– and which is especially freewheeling on the instrumental solos. Many tracks go for a lot longer than on the original versions – and there's a version of "Pick Up The Pieces" that runs for 18 minutes, a version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" that grooves for 8 minutes, a version of "School Boy Crush" that jams for 7 minutes, plus nice takes on the cuts "Cut The Cake", "Love Your Life", and "Cloudy". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Roy Ayers albums of all time – and an overlooked gem from Roy's late 70s years at Polydor! This set's a bit more laidback and less clubby than some other Ayers work of the period – which means it's got this wonderful jazzy groove throughout – a sweet mix of midtempo modern soul and the vibes-based style that Roy kept on perfecting at the time. Tracks are longer than usual, and they really open up in a way that fits the title – slinky and seductive, but never soppy or commercial at all – that really special blend of warmth and wisdom that's always made Roy Ayers so great. Titles include the sublime title track "Love Fantasy", which begins with Roy chatting up some girl in the intro, then sliding into a nice smooth jazz funk tip on the chorus – plus the great cut "Sigh", a sweet little bubbling number with a wonderfully breathy quality! Other titles include "Believe In Yourself", "Betcha Gonna", "Baby Bubba", and "Rock Your Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

Pre-ESP Records work from the legendary Albert Ayler – and a really special set that definitely shows his strong ties to a previous legacy of African-American music! Ayler always clamed blues and other roots in his sound, but didn't always show them as clearly – given his free-thinking, forward-moving approach – yet this set has Albert really reworking an older influence, by taking older songs from gospel and secular sources, and using them as a completely compelling springboard for his new ideas on tenor and soprano sax! The album's the sort that David Murray might have cut in the mid 80s – but conceived by Ayler two decades before – and sadly unissued for years after its recording, possibly because it's a very sensitive, soulful set that's different than the frenetic power of later albums on ESP. A real treasure throughout – with work from Call Cobbs Jr on piano, Henry Grimes on bass, and Sonny Murray on drums – on titles that include "Swing Low Sweet Chariot", "Deep River", "Goin Home", "Ol Man River", "Down By The Riverside", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen". CD

A beautifully packaged reissue of this rare set from 1964 – an early example of the genius of Albert Ayler, recorded in The Netherlands for a small audience in a Dutch radio studio! The setting is a wonderful one – a mix of the live freedoms that would really let Ayler stretch out – especially when playing overseas – but recorded with the clarity of some of his studio albums for ESP – that sharp-edged sound that really highlights the groundbreaking style of his playing! The rest of the group here is equally great – and the quartet features Don Cherry on cornet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sunny Murray on drums – the latter of whom is almost completely freed up from rhythm at some points. Titles include "Angels", "CAC", "Infant Happiness", and "No Name". CD

A great little album from Baby Brother – a group who share a name with a famous funky track by War, but who come on here with a completely different sound altogether! The group are a funk ensemble at the core, but they have this really special way of weaving their instruments together – sharply criss-crossing things with almost effortless ease – which often seems to lead to lots of vocal interplay, too – but all without hitting you over the head without any sort of pyrotechnics. The approach is a bit like the great way that 80s funk groups distilled down the P-Funk mode to a leaner, cleaner sound – but unlike the Ohio or LA groups, this set was produced down in Muscle Shoals by Rick Hall – who does a mighty nice job! Titles include "You Make My Warm Spot Hot", "Movin Music", "How Do You Like Your Love", "Saturday Night (And I'm Boogie Bound)", "Funky Situation", "(Hang On) I'm Coming For You", "Bad Thing", "All Night's Alright", "You've Got Me Wanting You", and "You Asked For it (You Got It)". CD

One of the greatest soundtracks ever from Luiz Bacalov – a set that's filled with sex and slink, but which also has a great sense of groove as well – blending bossa jazz, mod moments, and all the best styles of the late 60s Italian scene! The music is mostly acoustic, but has a really great way of using sustained notes on flute – which creates this dreamy vibe that's almost electric, especially when offset by acoustic basslines, percussion, and piano – all used at a level that's right up there with the best from Morricone or Trovajoli at the time! There's also wonderful drifting vocals in the mix – courtesy of Nora Orlandi – and titles include "Round Nassau", "Swingin Easy In Tanganika", "Rio Zona Sul", "L'Amica", and "Taxi Cab 67". CD also features 9 bonus tracks too! CD

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note during the early 60s – but Dave's also got a slightly looser groove too – a bit more sense of humanity, and one that allows for really organic interplay between the players. There's a slight soul jazz undercurrent – especially in the piano lines of Billy Gardner – and other players in the quintet include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Frank Haynes on tenor, and Ben Tucker on bass. The group wails on an early version of Tucker's classic "Comin' Home Baby", plus other great originals like "Coffee Walk", "Lady Iris B", and "Two Feet In the Gutter". A old favorite on the south side of Chicago! LP, Vinyl record album

Hardbop albums don't get any better than this – and although drummer Dave Bailey only recorded for a brief stretch as a leader, this session's one that shows that he was a heck of a force to contend with! The record's got an intensity that easily rivals the best by Art Blakey over at Blue Note during the early 60s – but Dave's also got a slightly looser groove too – a bit more sense of humanity, and one that allows for really organic interplay between the players. There's a slight soul jazz undercurrent – especially in the piano lines of Billy Gardner – and other players in the quintet include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Frank Haynes on tenor, and Ben Tucker on bass. The group wails on an early version of Tucker's classic "Comin' Home Baby", plus other great originals like "Coffee Walk", "Lady Iris B", and "Two Feet In the Gutter". A old favorite on the south side of Chicago! LP, Vinyl record album

That's "Heath", not "health" – as you might think the title's misspelled – as in Jimmy Heath, who arranged most of the numbers on the set! Heath's contribution is a good one too – as it helps Baker create one of his most tightly-wrapped albums of the time, a well-blown session recorded here with a group that includes Art Pepper on alto, Phil Urso on tenor, Carl Perkins on piano, and Lawrence Marable on drums. The presence of Urso is especially appreciated – as his sharper, deeper tone really brings a wider sound to the album than some of Chet's other dates of the time – especially when combined with the excellent sound of Pepper! Titles include "CTA", "For Minors Only", "For Miles & Miles", and "Resonant Emotions". CD

A definite eclectic groove here – music that has its roots in Mandingo and Dioula rhythms, but also features a fair bit of American funk and soul touches too – sometimes in the heavy grooves on the bottom, sometimes in the rumbling basslines and guitar parts too! The collection is a wonderful look at the early work of singer Amadou Balake – and it features material from the years before his international fame, when he was rooting around in a variety of wonderful styles. There's a gritty quality to most of the work here – and the collection is one that sits nicely next to some of the rougher-edged Nigeria Special sets on Soundway – offering up a similarly refreshing look at a slice of the African scene of the 70s that too often gets obscured by familiar world music cliches. Balake's vocals are pretty great too – but we'll be honest in saying that it's the rhythms, instrumentation, and production of these tunes that we're really digging the most! LP features 8 tracks that include "Aminata Du The", "Fanta", "Dounia Mokolou", "Djeli Fama", "Kambele-ba", "Ligda Remba", "Doro Magni", and "Super Bar Konon Mousso". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling combinations of global styles we've heard in awhile – a great second set from Belgian-Congolese artist Baloji! The set's got an unusual approach that's rooted in African instrumentation, run through European filters, and imbued with a bit of hip hop energy – particularly in Baloji's sharply-spoken lyrics – which are more bold messages than straight hip hop rhymes – especially set amidst some of the warmer, more flowing musical passages. The set features guest work from a wide range of talents – including Konono No.1, soukous stars Zaiko Langa Langa, American soul maverick Amp Fiddler, brass band Fanfare La Confiance, and the choir Choeur La Grace – all of whom leave their unique imprint on the set – creating a great sense of change as the music flows along. Titles include "Tshena Ndekela", "De L'Autre Cote De La Mere", "Genese 89", "Kesho", "Tout Ceci Ne Vous Rendra Pas Le Congo", "Nazongi Ndako", and "Karibu Ya Bintou". CD

With a singer this obscure, you might take the word "essential" in the title a bit loosely – but the set is a stunning batch of work from this popular Thai vocalist of the 70s! Dao Bandon's voice is amazing right from the start, even if you can't understand the language (although there is a bit of translation on the package) – this kind of eerie, otherworldly sound that steps rhythmically over these exotic backings that are both instantly timeless, and also show some slight electric elements borrowed from the Southeast Asian wave of psych from the late 60s. Most tracks move at a relatively slow pace, but that only makes Bandon's vocals an even more prominent part of the mix – especially when he criss-crosses in these really complicated patterns – and the folks at Paradise Bankok did this set with EM, so it's a great one if you dig their other reissues too. Titles include "Bong Ja Bong", "Lam Plearn Jaroen Jai", "Sanya Na Nao", "Ya Sading", "Ya Ting King", "Nat Wan Kin Yaa Dong", and "Num Lam Nam Chi". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut as a leader from bassist Harrison Bankhead – long an important figure on the Chicago jazz scene as a sideman, really stepping forth here with a bold new vision of his own! The album's got a very free, open sort of vibe – definitely in the spirit of the AACM, but with some 70s spiritual touches too – especially once things get going, and some of the more rhythmic tracks take hold! The group features the great Ed Wilkerson on tenor, clarinet, and didgeridoo – sounding great, and returning a favor to Bankhead after the bassist's years in Wilkerson's groups. Other players include Mars Williams on saxes, James Sanders on violin, Avreeayl Ra on drums and percussion, and Ernie Adams on more percussion – a lineup that's equally well-suited to free improv numbers, and some of the more groove-oriented tracks. Titles include "Over Under Inside Out", "Chicago Senorita", "East Village", "Morning Sun/Harvest Moon", and "Flying Through Your Dreams". CD

A Syd Barrett treasure trove – and an essential compilation of unreleased work that's a much-needed companion to Barrett's classic albums for EMI! The material here is all from the years 1968 to 1970 – tracks recorded before, during, and around the sessions that later became The Madcap Laughs and Barrett – but which often also show a wider-ranging side of Syd's talents, especially on the few demo recordings – which offer an even more personal glimpse of the artist trying to find his way. Instrumentation is a bit more acoustic than on Barrett's full albums, but even the acoustic guitar is played with these dark tones that have the same sinister quality as the chords he brought to Pink Floyd – maybe even more striking here without any fuzz, as they resonate alongside Syd's offbeat lyrics. Titles include "Rats", "Golden Hair", "Opel", "Clowns & Jugglers", "Birdie Hop", "Let's Spilt", and "Swan Lee". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the last recordings ever made by the late tenor great Bill Barron – and some of the best as well! The CD presents previously unheard live recordings from Cobi's nightclub – a late 80s New York club where Barron played often upon his return from the European scene in the years before his death – and an extremely comfortable setting that let Bill stretch out on long tenor solos, in a style that's quite different than a lot of his studio work for other labels. There's still a very modern feel to the work – especially in Barron's tone – but the tunes also have a solidly inventive solo approach, one that rivals that of classic live recordings by Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins. The group's a quartet with Fred Simmons on piano, Santi Debriano on bass, and Ben Riley on drums – and most tracks stretch out for quite some length, dominated by Barron's beautiful solos. Titles include Kenny Barron's "Row House" and "Voyage", and Bill's own "Until Further Notice", "This One's For Monk", and "Easy Does It". CD

A great title for this sublime set of duo material – work that features Kenny Barron on piano and Dave Holland on bass – with no other instrumentation at all! Barron's a player who's always expansive, no matter what the setting – but hearing him in spare formation like this, we really fall in love with his work all over again – his wonderfully rich command of the keyboard, inherent sense of rhythm, and strong ability to paint in musical colors that never fail to delight! Holland's a revelation, too – with well-crafted, yet spare basslines – able to deliver more with less, at a level that's quite different than Dave's earlier work, and really shows so much growth – especially on the mellower moments, where he really shapes the sound of the record. Titles include "The Oracle", "Waltz For Wheeler", "The Only One", "Rain", and "Seascape". CD

A cool little score from John Barry – quite different from his usual soundtrack material, with a breezy sort of style that really fits the spirit of this sailing film! Instrumentation is often a light blend of strings and keyboards – a bit of electric harpsichord or melodica at points, which is especially cool – plus some occasional woodwind moments at more dramatic moments, often used to underscore the mood of a piece. Barry's still got that great sense of space and timing he developed at the end of the 60s – a real musical maturation that almost echoes some Italian styles at points. Titles include "The Motorbike & The Dove", "Alone On The Wide Wide Sea", "Porpoise Escort", "Xing Mombila", "After The Fire", "Patty & Robin", and "Hitch-Hike to Darwin" – plus "Sail The Summer Winds", sung by Lyn Paul. CD features lots of bonus tracks too – 8 unreleased mono score tracks, and 3 more stereo tracks from the album sessions too. CD

A weird little record from John Barry – the soundtrack to a 1963 television special recorded by Elizabeth Taylor at the height of her early popularity, and featuring Taylor reciting a variety of poems and speeches over music by Barry! There's a relatively high concept feel to the album – as Barry's backings are fairly string-laden and serious, penned to match the mood of Taylor's presentation of material written by William Wordsworth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Pitt, Winston Churchill, and Queen Victoria. And although Taylor speaks on about half the record, the best tracks here are actually the instrumental ones – which have more of the depth of Barry's serious soundtrack work from the time, and manage to have their own sense of presence apart from the star quality of Liz on the set. Arrangements are by Johnnie Spence, and titles include "Elizabeth", "London Theme Jazz Waltz", "Queen Elizabeth At Tilbury", "Queen Victoria", "English Garden", "The Fire Of London", "Lovers & Browning", and "London At Dawn". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from guitarist Robbie Basho – a player who finally seems to be getting the same sort of due as his sometime-labelmate John Fahey! Basho's style is quite different, but equally sublime – this effortless cascading of notes on the acoustic guitar – played at a level that almost feels as if there's a chorus of instrumentalists working together, even though it's just Basho solo – but with this ethereal, laidback quality that never feels gimmicky or show-offy at all. There's a deeply spiritual feel to this record – one of the last that Basho ever made – but never a quality that's hippy dippy or new age, especially for the time. Titles include "Golden Dragon", "Lament For Earth", "Twilight Peaks", "Afternoon & Evening", and "Where Butterflies In Winter Go". CD

The title's not a hokey TV reference or anything like that – but a strong reminder that the Count Basie group was still very much in their prime during the 1970s, thanks especially to the recording talents that the Pablo label brought to records like this! Most of the work here was arranged and composed by Sam Nestico – the talent who was bringing a really fresh voice to the Basie group while still keeping most of its best elements intact. The track "Bundle O Funk" features some great Fender bass in the grooves, and is arguably one of the few funky tracks that Basie ever recorded – but other tracks get back to an all acoustic groove, and include "The Great Debate", "Ya Gotta Try", "Reachin Out", "Featherweight", and "Prime Time". CD

Dreamy work from Les Baxter – featuring his chorus and orchestra over string-heavy arrangements that match the midnight sea setting on the cover. The work's a lot more flowery than his exotic recordings for Capitol – but it's got an insanity that we find quite appealing, especially in its attempt to convey illicit midnight passion. Titles include "Suddenly", "The Medic Theme", "The Shrike", "Blue Mirage", "End Of Spring", and "Dream Rhapsody". LP, Vinyl record album

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be". LP, Vinyl record album

The Reprise Records run of Captain Beefheart – presented here in a special package that also features a full album of never-issued rare material as well! Beefheart at Reprise was a real high point – as the Captain was still full of all the primal, gritty elements of the previous years – but also refining the sound of the Magic Band as well – to a point where the increased musicianship only got more complex, yet helped focus the energy of the songs as well! The whole thing's worth it alone for the mindblowing combination of roots and modern on the guitar work – and the progression over three albums is one of the most striking you'll see at the time for any artist, in any style. The package features the full three albums Lick My Decals Off Baby, The Spotlight Kid, and Clear Spot – and the bonus Outtakes CD features titles that include "Little Scratch", "Kiss Where I Kain't", "The Witch Doctor Life (inst take)", "Harry Irene", "Alice In Blunderland (alt)", "Two Rips In A Haystack/Kiss Me My Love", "Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man (early mix)", "Dirty Blue Gene (alt 1)", "Pompadour Swamp/Suction Prints", and "I Can't Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest funky records of all time – the hard-to-find second album by Beginning Of The End! This West Indian combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set, for some strange reason, never really got distributed – which is a damn shame, because it's every bit as funky as their first! The uniquely choppy rhythms of the group's first album are every bit as great here as on the first set – and if anything, the band's instrumentation is even better, especially on the guitar, which is wickedly tight, and played with a super-dope flanged-out approach on the solos. Vocals are great too, maybe even more soulful than before, especially on the album's few midtempo cuts – and the album's a must-have for any fan of the group's funky sound! Titles include "That's What I Get", "Super Woman", "Bluestrain", "Jump In The Water", "Falling Apart At The Seams", and "Trip To Nowhere". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite 70s albums from pianist Richie Beirach – a set that has this wonderfully flowing energy – almost a more forceful take on the ECM sound of the 70s, yet still a bit warmer than some of Beirach's other work too! The group's a trio – with Frank Tusa on bass and Jeff Williams on drums – both players who come in strongly when needed, but also let Richie step out and state some of the strongest lines of the tunes – especially on the leads. Titles include "Eon", "Bones", "Mitsuku", "Places", and "Nardis". CD

A pair of late 80s albums from Regina Belle for Columbia – All By Myself from '87 and Stay With Me from '89 – in 2CD set with bonus tracks from Superbird UK! All By Myself is Regina Belle's debut, a nice mix of dancefloor soul and ballads. The blend of period production touches – keys & synths, in particular – with live instrumentation is excellent, in part thanks to great studio players like Dexter Wansel and Pablo Batista – but mostly because of some solid songs and Regina's soaring vocals! Titles include "Show Me The Way", "Intimate Relations", "Gotta Give It Up", "So Many Tears", "Please Be Mine" and more. Stay With Me is really strong late 80s set from Regina – bringing in more smooth soul touches than the more dancefloor ready predecessor – which make for an even finer showcase for Regina's beautiful voice. Titles include "Baby Come To Me", "When Will You Be Mine", "What Goes Around", "It Doesn't Hurt Anymore", "This Is Love" and more. 6 bonus tracks in all: "Show Me The Way", "You Got The Love (Remix)" and 2 more for All By Myself, plus "Special Part Of Me" and "What Goes Around (Single Edit)" for Stay With Me. CD

Quite an obscure one from this famous drummer – with a cool group that also features Willie Smith on alto sax, Juan Tizol on trombone, Buddy Collette on flute and tenor, Jimmy Rowles on piano, and Harry Edison on trumpet! Many tracks are evocative originals by Bellson, too – and titles include "Hamer's Hang Up", "Cire's Thought", "Over We Go", "Mambo Portofino", and "Escapade". LP, Vinyl record album

(Verve trumpeter logo pressing, with deep groove! Vinyl is nice, but has a mark that clicks in one spot for just a bit. Cover has light wear and a light stain near the bottom.)

The complete recording of Tony Bennett and Bill Evans as a duo – the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album from '75 and the '76 follow up Together Again – back to back, plus a bonus CD of alternate takes! If you've ever doubted the real jazz sensibility of Tony Bennett, the Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album is the one to change your mind – because Tony's working here in a marvelously unadorned setting – with only the piano of Bill Evans to back him up! The record's a rare gem from years after Bennett was cracking the pop charts, but was willing to pull back to the jazz of his roots – and the session's equally rare for Evans, who rarely worked with vocalists at this point in his career. The simplicity of the album is its strength – and together, the pair really sound tremendous – slightly faltering at times, but in a way that exposes a sense of humanity you might not find in other records, especially those by Bennett. Titles include "When In Rome", "Some Other Time", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "My Foolish Heart", "Waltz For Debby", and "Young & Foolish". Together Again is another gem, following the form of the first duos record exceptionally well, perhaps with Evan's piano a bit more prominent in the sound, and another fine batch of tunes, including "The Bad And The Beautiful", "Lucky To Be Me", "A Child Is Born", "Lonely Girl", "You Must Believe In Spring" and more. The bonus CD features alternate takes of material from the 2 albums, with versions of "You And Foolish", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "Some Other Time", "When In Rome", "Waltz For Debbie" and multiple versions of "The Bad And The Beautiful", "A Child Is Born", and more. CD

One of the tightest records to date from Bebo Best – a set that's still awash in cool 60s influences from lounge, bossa, and soundtracks – but which also comes across with an even more spontaneous spirit! There's still a fair bit of programs in the rhythms, and lots of cool sound samples too – but at points, you almost get the feel that the group's jamming live, especially on some of the more Latin-styled numbers. Titles give a good idea of the flavor of the set – and include "Havana Jazz Dance", "Chill Radio Bossa", "Dakiri Bossa Dance", "Jazz Carnival", "Saronno On The Rocks", and "Mambo & Cola". CD

The young Johnny Rotten would have winced at the idea of a punk rock art book – but given the underground nature of the movement in its classic years, and the countless lost relics from the scene, we're more than happy to treasure this hefty, full color volume! The book is a treasure trove of materials – like getting a peek at the collection of one of your friends who's ultra-cool, but will never let you get close to his records – and the book is filled with hundreds and hundreds of full color images of 45 sleeves, album covers, and even flyers and gig posters too – not just from the UK and US, but the full global scene as well. Almost all the material is from the classic late 70s/early 80s years – and even if you've got one hell of a record collection, there's plenty more great stuff here too – including some especially great images of posters for local gigs. The book offers up full details on each image – source, artist, and more – and the whole thing is 224 pages, full color, and nicely oversized. Book

One of the rarer Ethiopian recordings we've heard from the 70s – and one of the most compelling, too! The sounds here are just as haunting as more familiar Ethiopian music, but also have a nicely unbridled feel too – almost a bit rough at times, especially in the way the rhythms unfurl – followed by snakey guitar lines, and these vocals that are richly expressive, but in a way that's quite different from the emotion of Anglo pop! The set's a great discovery of these rare sides from 1976 – and titles include "Siin Baarbaada", "Ishururuu", "Silaa Murtii Beeke", "Kophaa Koo", and "Ammalele". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost little session from pianist Walter Bishop – one that has the pianist working at an all acoustic level, and in a trio format that's a bit different than his other 70s sessions – but still totally great! The group features wonderful work from Sam Jones on bass and Billy Higgins on drums – both players we totally love together, and who give Bishop a bit of backing that's similar to their work with Cedar Walton. Yet the style here is very different, too – as Walter brings out these more gutbuckety notes at times – still handled with class and care, but with a deeper vibe that seems to resonate especially strongly with the bass of Jones. Titles include "Manha Do Carnaval", "Old Folks", "Up Jumped Spring", and "Straight No Chaser". CD

Fantastic funk from the Italian scene – penned for a cop movie that was also known over here as The Hired Gun! The style here is even more of a cut above than usual for Italian crime – really on a par with the best American work of the period, particularly some of the extra-hip stuff you might hear on TV – like some of those gems from Sunday Night Mystery Movie that would blend sophisticated strings, offbeat orchestrations, and some great funky basslines and keys! The keyboards are especially nice – snaking through over these bass bits that roll out wonderfully and there's some moody woodwind moments that further deepen the sound in ways you wouldn't expect. Plus, the whole package is totally great – full, well-written notes in English – almost at a Film Score Monthly level! CD features 15 tracks from the film – plus 5 more bonus cuts from the vaults. CD

Biz's second LP from 1989 – what can we tell you about the Biz that you don't already know? As far as we're concerned there are a lot of MCs that could still learn a lesson or two from the Biz, and producers too! Good time mid school hip hop, with nice sample based production and a great sense of humor, that makes us nostalgic for the late 80s early 90s glory days. 13 tracks in all, with the cuts "Spring Again", "Just A Friend", "A Thing Named Kim", "The Dragon", "Things Get A Little Easier", "I Hear Music", "Biz In Harmony", "Check It Out" and more. This 2012 special edition includes 5 bonus 12" versions: "Just A Friend (12" Version)", "Just A Friend (Instrumental)", "Spring Again (Club Mix)", "Spring Again (12" Remix)" and "Spring Again (Dub)". CD

A Native Tongues classic from 1991 – one that sounded great way back when, and has held up beautifully over the years – and rightly considered amongst the greatest hip hop albums ever! Wolf In Sheep's Clothing is playful rap at it's best, with funky and and funny cuts galore – but the title is apt, as the wit is pretty sharply barbed – especially when they're skewering hardcore and gangsta cliches. It's as brilliant as ever. Includes the massive "Flavor Of The Month", "Similak Child", "Pass The 40", "To Whom It May Concern", "Butt In The Meantime", "Strobelite Honey", "Are You Mad?", "Blunted", "For Doz That Slept" and more. CD

2 classics from The Blackbyrds – back to back on a single CD! City Life is a fantastic album from the legendary jazz funk combo – a bit smoother than their first, but that's the great thing about it! The record has the band getting even tighter than before – coming up with an amazing jazz-inflected funk groove that still leaves us breathless after all these years – and which is the perfect fusion of jazz and soul that was going down with the best groups in the mid 70s. The best example of this sound can be heard on the massive cut "Rock Creek Park" – which begins with a wonderful bass on the intro, a killer moogy keyboard bit, and a super-catchy chorus that goes "doin' it in the park," which you should recognize in about 30 seconds! The rest of the album is great too – and titles include the classic sample track "Love So Fine" – plus "Happy Music", "Hash and Eggs", "Thankful Bout Yourself", and "All I Ask". Unfinished Business has The Blackbyrds are at the top of their game – working in a sweet blend of jazz, funk, and soul – all produced to perfection by their mentor Donald Byrd! The groove is quite similar to some of Byrd's best from the time – a bit fuller than the first few records by The Blackbyrds, thanks to the addition of larger horns – and put together in ways that really has them soaring towards the skies on waves or righteous soul! There's vocals on most tracks, but they really take equal place next to the group's wonderful instrumentation – especially the heady keyboards of the mighty Kevin Toney, still a key member of the combo at this point. Titles include "Party Land", "In Life", "Time Is Movin", "Lady", and "You've Got That Something". CD

Cindy Blackman's one of those players who always surprises us with her music – coming across with a lot more to offer than just her unique role as a girl drummer in jazz – sounds so bold, we instantly forget her gender and pretty image on the cover, and always just let ourselves get swept away by the power of her music! This set is possibly one of Blackman's best from the Muse Records years – thanks to a top-shelf quartet that includes Gary Bartz on alto and soprano sax, Kenny Barron on piano, and Ron Carter on bass – a great trio even on their own, but given a nice sense of focus through Blackman's drums. As usual, Blackman penned some great originals for the date – and the setting is an especially nice one for Bartz, who's really given a lot of space for great solo work on the set. Titles include "The Oracle", "AJ", "Beatrice", "Traffic", "Why", "Our Blues", and "Who Needs Forever". CD

A landmark recording by a whole new chapter in Art Blakey's career! During the early 60s, Blakey expanded the Jazz Messengers from a quintet to an incredibly tight sextet – adding in the trombone of Curtis Fuller for an extra-punched up frontline that also included Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Wayne Shorter on tenor, who had returned to the group after a short departure. The band was augmented by the wonderfully lyrical and soulful piano of a young Cedar Walton – who brought a strong degree of sophistication, and who was a perfect interpreter of Shorter's rich writing talents. The whole group performs together perfectly on this wonderful (and oft-overlooked) session – especially on the tracks "Shaky Jake", "Backstage Sally", and "Bu's Delight". This CD has four bonus tracks: alternate takes of "Moon River", "Backstage Sally", "Reincarnation Blues" and "Bu's Delight". CD

An explosive moment of greatness from the legendary Art Blakey – a record that takes off immediately, thanks to help from a young lineup that features Bobby Watson on alto, Valery Ponomarev on trumpet, and Dave Schnitter on tenor – three talents who would go onto become jazz legends in their own right – really helping Blakey hit some new energy here in the mid 70s! The trio are wonderful – and Watson adds some especially soulful elements to the record with his great compositions. Walter Davis Jr is on piano – reunited with Blakey in a great way, and bringing in some tunes of his own too – and the group's completed by Dennis Irwin on bass. Titles include"Jodi", "Hawkman", "Cami", and "Gypsy Folk Tales". LP, Vinyl record album

(White label promo. Cover has a cut corner and small sticker on back.)

One of the rarest Art Blakey sessions of the late 50s – recorded during that brief time when the Jazz Messengers featured Jackie McLean on alto sax! The set's also unusual in that it's one of the few jazz dates for Elektra Records in the early years – recorded here with an edge that's perhaps a bit rougher than some of the other Blakey records during this "many labels" stretch – but in a way that seems to also bring out some especially great qualities in McLean's horn! Other members here include Bill Hardman on trumpet, Spanky DeBrest on bass, and Sam Dockery on piano – and the differences here make for a nice change from the usual Blakey! Titles include "Casino", "Potpourri", "The Biddie Griddies", "Ugh", and "Reflections Of Buhania". LP, Vinyl record album

(Original grey label pressing. Cover has some wear, splash stains across the top half, and a fully split top seam. Vinyl plays with some crackles.)

A blinding session by Blakey! Truly one of his all-time great ones, and a record we've been putting on the turntable for 20 years, still always with new delight! The session was recorded in 1961 – when Blakey was working with Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan, and Wayne Shorter (who's especially fantastic here!) For some incredibly odd reason, the session was not issued at the time – and only came out briefly at the end of the 60s. It's amazing, though – and features a set of stunning tracks that will forever restore your faith in jazz, even at your darkest moments. Includes "Ping Pong", "Roots & Herbs", "Master Mind", "Look At the Birdie", and "United". Plus, this CD reissue features 3 bonus cuts – all alternate takes of titles on the album! CD

A fantastic live set from 1968 – recorded after Blakey's classic Blue Note years, with a unique lineup that includes a young Billy Harper on tenor, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and Julian Priester on trombone! Harper alone is worth the price of the LP – as his firey solos are great, really stretching out here with a bold vision that would explore more prominently a few years later – and which is heard here at an extremely early date. Tracks are all long and very live – the Jazz Messengers vibe, but with some of the freedoms of the Coltrane era, especially on Harper's solos. The set features a number of nice long tracks – like Slide Hampton's "New World" and "Slide No 2", and a great reading of "Angel Eyes", done by Harper in real Coltrane Ballad mode! CD features the best-ever issue of the material – with great notes and remastering! CD

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. CD

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. CD

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts used for the backdrop, but presented with a rock-solid style that definitely points the way towards many sounds and styles to come in the 60s. And although Bland recorded many of these tracks as separate singles, there's a way they're put together here that makes the whole thing sound completely marvelous together – a really well-conceived track list that shows that Bobby's an even greater artist in the space of a full record. The arrangements are perfect, and Bobby's rough soulful voice is blended in this amazing way with killer horn arrangements that are far more sophisticated than most stuff that ever came after this, and which never get in the way, but only back up his deep emotion. The album's a motherlode of classics by the man, with gems that include "Two Steps From The Blues", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Don't Want No Woman", "I'm Not Ashamed", "Don't Cry No More", "Lead Me On", and "I Pity The Fool". And hell, even his version of "St James Infirmary" is pretty wonderful – something we never thought we'd say about that song. CD

Carla Bley at the height of her powers – working in the late 70s to really reinvent the large ensemble after years of experience in the underground – with a style that easily slides between inside and out, searching and swinging – all delivered by just the right sort of lineup! The group here features Michael Mantler on trumpet, Elton Dean on alto, Gary Windo on tenor, John Clark on French Horn, Roswell Rudd on trombone, Hugh Hopper on bass, Andrew Cyrille on drums, and Carla herself on organ and tenor – all musicians graced with a sense of whimsy, yet never one that overwhelms their music at all – especially during this stretch of Carla's creative career. Tracks are long, and nice and complicated – but never get lost in themselves – and titles include "Rose & Sad Song", "Wrong Key Donkey", "Drinking Music", and "Star Spangled Banner Minor & Other Patriotic Songs". CD

Early ECM work from Paul Bley – a great example of the way that label helped Bley find a new voice in his music during the 70s! Although issued in 1971, the session was actually recorded a few years before – in 1967 – and done with a very spare, very open approach to the piano – one that was still extremely fresh at the time, and which is handled better by Bley than by most, especially on a few of the more dramatic moments. All tracks here are trio tracks – with Barry Altschul on drums, and either Gary Peacock or Mark Levinson on bass – and the three long tracks on the album were all composed by Annette Peacock, and include "Ending", "Circles", and "So Hard It Hurts". CD

"Blues" might be a surprising word for the title of an album by Paul Bley – especially given his modern inclinations – but the term definitely fits here, as this set of solo piano performances by Bley has a wonderfully moody, mellow quality – and a surprising amount of soul at times too! Paul's always had his warmth – although it usually comes across in more lyrical passages – but here, there's a richer focus on the left side of the piano, which opens up the bottom, and makes for some wonderful core sounds as Bley expresses himself more nimbly on the right. The titles are all originals, with maybe a bit more structure than improvisations – and tunes include "Baby Narrows", "Late Night Blue", "Downtown", "Underground", "Up Hill", "Rear Projection", and "Into The Night". CD

Afro reggae Great Alpha Blondy fulfills his dream of performing with The Wailers! The best of the tracks, especially the title track, is quite wonderful – with great vocals throughout by Alpha Blondy. A few tunes have a drum machine, grounding the atmosphere of those numbers squarely in the mid 80s, but the other tracks are timeless. A worthy effort overall, and titles include "Jerusalem", "Polituqui", "Bloodshed In Africa", "I Love Paris", "Kalachnikov Love", "Travailler C'est Trop Dur", "Miwa" and "DJI". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful record, although with a strong undercurrent of sadness! In what was becoming an unfortunate tradition in their later years, the remaining members of the legendary South African jazz group The Blue Notes join together to mourn the passing of one of their original bandmembers – the great bassist Johnny Dyani, a player whose sound had a key influence on both African and European jazz scenes of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The group for this session is reduced to Chris McGregor on piano, Louis Moholo on bass, and Dudu Pukwana on alto and soprano saxes – working together in a beautiful session of tunes that hearken back to the rhythms of the group's roots – while still allowing some of the freer interplay that they discovered in later years. McGregor's piano is especially nice – tinged with sadness and appropriate blue notes – providing a nice undercurrent to the solo work of Pukwana. Titles include "Funk Dem Dudu", "Eyomzi", "Blues For Nick", and "Monks & Mbizo". LP, Vinyl record album

Not The Beatles, but a group who are trying to cash in on their fame – by showing a monstrous Beatle wig on the cover of the album, covering a horde of dancers – and by playing a whole host of instrumentals with a nod to the Brit Invasion! We're guessing the Blue Beats were some American studio combo – as the overall project doesn't have a real UK sound – and they've definitely got their chops, especially on the guitar lines – which are recorded with a nice dose of echo and a good deal of twang, and mixed in with stomping rhythms and the occasional keyboard line. Titles include "The Chocolate Pudding Slop", "The Swingin Spiders' Bo Diddley", "The Fat Kings' Twist", "The Broken Egg Frug", "The Cold Mashed Potato", and "The Big Shoe Twist". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few small group recordings ever cut by pianist Francy Boland – and a set that cooks every bit as much as his work with the larger Clarke Boland Big Band on MPS! The reason for the cooking is clear – Francy's got key rhythmic help from group members Jimmy Woode on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – players who are way more than just partners with Boland on the session – more musical soulmates, especially from a rhythmic perspective – and able to work at that unique Clarke Boland level that's both lyrical and swinging, soulful and modern! The tunes are played in this way that really shows off Boland's skills on the keys – but never in a style that's flashy, just fresh and filled with surprising tones and twists – backed superbly by Woode and Clarke. Titles include "The Girl & The Turk", "Gamal Sady'N'Em", "Night Lady", "Myriam Doll", "I'm All Smiles", "Lonely Girl", and "Nights In Warsaw". CD

Two classic albums from these Stax Records legends – with bonus tracks too! First up is Green Onions – a legendary album of Memphis soul – and a full length set that helped redefine the sound of instrumental music in the 60s! The record's a monumental follow-up to Booker T & The MGs' huge hit single "Green Onions" – an extremely seductive organ-based instrumental that the band cooked up while just messing around in the studio – and it's filled with other organ-heavy grooves played by this tight Memphis quartet – a group who were just starting out at this point, but already had a sound that's unlike anyone else! The work of Booker T is especially nice – Hammond with a bit more punch than other combos of this nature – backed by some wicked guitar from Steve Cropper, bass from Lewis Steinberg, and drums from Al Jackson. The set features a nice mix of covers and original tunes – with titles that include "Green Onions", "I Got A Woman", "Twist & Shout", "Lonely Avenue", "Comin Home Baby", "Mo Onions", "Behave Yourself", and "Rinky Dink". Soul Dressing is a great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back mode to push the group way past the stock grooves of earlier albums – thanks to great work from the rest of the combo too. There's some mighty nice rhythm changes on this one, and a good range of non-pop tunes like "Night Owl Walk", "Chinese Checkers", "Soul Dressing", "Tic Tac Toe", "Outrage", "Home Grown", "Big Train", "Jelly Bread", and "Plum Nellie". Features 2 bonus tracks – "MG Party" and "Terrible Thing". CD

2 full albums – plus bonus tracks too! On Hip Hug Her, Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, and the set includes loads of great original number written by the group – the kind of cool tunes they most likely cooked up while jamming live in the studio! These gems include the seminal "Hip Hug Her" – plus "Carnaby Street", "Booker's Notion", "Soul Sanction", "Double Or Nothing", and "Slim Jenkins' Place". But the covers are groovy too – and include a version of "Pigmy", plus "Groovin" and "Sunny". Doin Our Thing has Booker T & The MGs moving their instrumental sound into a whole new range than before! The album has a very groovy feel – nice and tight, with especially great organ and guitar lines – often tuned towards 60s hits by other soul artists, but reworked strongly by the group's wonderful rhythms, and turned into a really cooking batch of Memphis soul instrumentals! There's a few key original tunes on the set – like the title track "Doin Our Thing" – and the cuts "I Can Dig It" and "Blue On Green" – but the covers are equally great, and include versions of "Ode To Billie Joe", "You Keep Me Hangin On", "Expressway To Your Heart", and "Let's Go Get Stoned". Features 2 bonus tracks – "Summertime (single edit)" and "Winter Snow". CD

Some of the greatest moments from David Bowie, mixed with some rare tracks, collaborations, 45 mixes, and more – as well as the single "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)" – which is one of Bowie's best singles in years! The package is available in a number of varieties, with a number of covers – and each different iteration offers a special sort of focus on Bowie's varied creative career – reminding us in more different ways how much we've continued to love his music over the years! This 2LP version features the track "Sue" – plus "Let's Dance", "Life On Mars", "Hello Spaceboys (PSB rmx)" with Pet Shop Boys, "Under Pressure" with Queen, "Sound & Vision", "Golden Years (single)", "Absolute Beginners (single)", "Starman (single)", "Rebel Rebel", "Jean Genie (orig single version)", "Changes", "Where Are We Now", "China Girl (single)", and "Heroes (single)". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the greatest moments from David Bowie, mixed with some rare tracks, collaborations, 45 mixes, and more – as well as the single "Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)" – which is one of Bowie's best singles in years! The package is available in a number of varieties, with a number of covers – and each different iteration offers a special sort of focus on Bowie's varied creative career – reminding us in more different ways how much we've continued to love his music over the years! This 3CD version features the track "Sue" – plus 58 more tracks that include"All The Young Dudes", "Dancing In The Streets" with Mick Jagger, "Silly Boy Blue", "Can't Help Thinking About Me", "Liza Jane", "You've Got A Habit Of Leaving", "Wild Is The Wind (2010 Harry Maslin mix)", "Buddha Of Subburbia", "Your Turn To Drive", "The Stars Are Out Tonight", "Blue Jean", "This Is Not America" with Pat Metheny, "Oh You Pretty Things", "Moonage Daydream", "Drive In Saturday", "Sorrow", "Fame", "Boys Keep Swinging", "Fashion (single)", "Ashes To Ashes (single)", "Love Is Lost (DFA hello Steve Reich mix)", "New Iller Star (radio)", "I'm Afraid Of Americans (V1 radio edit)", "Jump They Say (radio)", "Let's Dance", "Life On Mars", "Hello Spaceboy (PSB rmx)" with Pet Shop Boys, "Under Pressure" with Queen, "Sound & Vision", "Golden Years (single)", "Absolute Beginners (single)", "Starman (single)", "Rebel Rebel", "Jean Genie (orig single version)", "Changes", "Where Are We Now", "China Girl (single)", and "Heroes (single)". CD

We're not the biggest fans of VH1 around here, but we definitely give the station props for a show like this – an up-close, intimate performance by David Bowie – one in which he tells the tale behind some of his famous tunes, then delivers special versions for the program! The performance is relatively recent, but the aging Bowie really brings a lot of charm to the tunes – almost more than you might expect, and proof that he's still one of the most charismatic, compelling mainstream talents left from his generation. CD and DVD feature versions of "Life On Mars", "Rebel Rebel", "Thursday's Child", "Drive In Saturday", "Word On A Wing", "China Girl", and "Can't Help Thinking About Me". Also features bonus performances of "Survive", "I Can't Read", "Always Crashing In The Same Car", and "If I'm Dreaming My Life". CD

Two great tracks from one of our favorite periods of David Bowie – those Young Americans years when he was heavily influenced by Philly soul! "Young Americans" is presented here in a special single edit of the 2007 Tony Visconti mix – maybe with a bit more bite than the original single – and the flipside features the sublime "It's Gonna Be Me", in a "with strings" version, but still with the incredible original Luther Vandross arrangement! Oh, and nice pictures on both sides of the single too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Warm love and plenty of soul from Jesse Bokyins – an artist who keeps on perfecting his craft more and more with each new record – to create a special place in soul that's very much his own! The grooves are heavy on keyboards, but with these very trippy touches – and the whole thing has a unique, handcrafted feel that almost makes Boykins a kind of Shuggie Otis figure for the 21st Century – a supreme master of mellow soul, able to wrap together voice and instrument with this incredible sense of flow! Bass and beats can sometimes be heavy, but always with a slow, crispy vibe that resonates strongly with the more cosmic elements of the music – on titles that include "Show Me Who You Are", "Create Beauty", "Make Believe", "4Ever No More", "Matter Of The Heart", "GreyScale", and "I Wish". CD

Really great work from pianist Joanne Brackeen – a player who's always got plenty to offer, but who really seems to find a special space here – working in a unique trio that features Clint Houston on bass and Ryo Kawasaki on guitar! Houston's bass is wonderful – full, rich, and very well-rounded – an element that brings so much depth to the record that both Ryo and Joanne can really take off – Kawasaki on these colorful lines that have a bit more bite than his more fusiony guitar albums as a leader, and Brackeen with these incredibly deft, incredibly well-spun lines on piano. The balance of sounds is wonderful – very fresh and unique – and titles include "Aft", "Haiti B", "Dreamers", and "Winter Is Here". CD

Rare work from Jack Bradshaw – an artist who definitely earns the honky tonk hero tag in the title – not just for the endless hours he spent in small clubs and taverns, but also for the great blue-tinged, late night quality of his music! A lot of the best tracks here remind us of the music on Ray Price's classic Night Life album – and have a similar sense of the world after midnight, its longings and regrets, and its slow crawl to dawn as a time of redemption. Jack's short career is divided between work on the MarVel and Decca labels – included here along with notes on his life and session details too – and a set of tracks that include "Oh Careless Me", "My Heart My Heart", "Don't Tease Me", "Welcome Heart", "Men Are Weak", "Saturday Night Special", "Flirting With You", "I Got What You Need", and "Don't Cause Me To Hate You". CD

A sweet live set from one of the most soulful trombonists working today – an artist we've loved for the smooth groove of some of his studio sessions for the Hidden Beach label, but who also shines equally well in a concert setting! Bradshaw's richness and generosity really hold strong throughout – his great ear for a groove, bold voice as a soloist, and strong sense of collaboration – which makes plenty of space for guests who include Bilal, Kenny Lattimore, Eric Roberson, Robert Glasper, Kim Burrell, Trombone Shorty, Will Downing, and Take 6! With a lineup like that, it must have been one hell of a show – beautifully captured here on tracks that include "All This Love", "NO Groove", "I Do Sincerely", "All Time Love", "My Forever", "Beyond The Stars", "For Grover", "What Must I Do", and "Love". CD

Incredible southern soul work from Bill Brandon – a wealth of rare singles from the years before his better-known album on Prelude – all handled by landmark producers Sam Dees, Spooner Oldham, and Quin Ivy! With help like that in the studio, you can imagine that these singles are just about as perfect as can be – classic southern deep soul, completely without gimmicks or cliche, at a level that few of Bill's contemporaries were ever able to match! Brandon's got an especially wonderful way with a mellow tune – and most of the best numbers here step around gently on the bottom, letting Bill's vocals dominate strongly, often with the kind of heartbreaking quality you might expect from east coast harmony soul – but definitely tinged with enough styles to showcase their Alabama roots. CD features a whopping 24 tracks in all – originally issued on the Quinvy, South Camp, Moonsong, and Piedmont labels – with titles that include "Rainbow Road", "Self Preservation", "I'm A Believer Now", "I Am Free Of Your Love", "Whatever I Am I'm Yours", "Stop This Merry-Go-Round", "I'll Be Your Puppet", "Good Guys Don't Always Win", "Doing Right Don't Wrong Nobody", "Let Me Be Your Full Time Groover", and "Piece Of My Heart". CD

Really creative work from Anthony Braxton – a 70s gem that has the reedman working in two different settings – both of them great! The first half of the record reunites Braxton with the electronics of Richard Teitelbaum – working here on some very cool moog, mixed with percussion – all in the best dark sounds of the Time Zones recording from the pair. Leo Smith is also in the group on trumpet – adding in a sense of space that's really wonderful – and Braxton himself works a variety of clarinets with really rich sounds – as the trio takes off on "Composition 36". The rest of the record shows that great old school side of Braxton – that crucial knowledge of the American jazz songbook that he only showed the world this strongly in the mid 70s – and which sparkles here as one of the best examples of that love! The remaining tracks feature Anthony on alto and Dave Holland on bass – working out some really special magic on "The Song Is You", "You Go To My Head", and "Embraceable You". CD

Really creative work from Anthony Braxton – a 70s gem that has the reedman working in two different settings – both of them great! The first half of the record reunites Braxton with the electronics of Richard Teitelbaum – working here on some very cool moog, mixed with percussion – all in the best dark sounds of the Time Zones recording from the pair. Leo Smith is also in the group on trumpet – adding in a sense of space that's really wonderful – and Braxton himself works a variety of clarinets with really rich sounds – as the trio takes off on "Composition 36". The rest of the record shows that great old school side of Braxton – that crucial knowledge of the American jazz songbook that he only showed the world this strongly in the mid 70s – and which sparkles here as one of the best examples of that love! The remaining tracks feature Anthony on alto and Dave Holland on bass – working out some really special magic on "The Song Is You", "You Go To My Head", and "Embraceable You". CD features two bonus tracks too – both previously unissued – "On Green Dolphin Street" and "I Remember You". CD

Wonderful work from the young Bill Broonzy – exactly the sort of sides that made him a legend right from the start – full of personality and a sort of special spark that few of his contemporaries could match! Bill's got a very confident approach here – a "bigness" that moves past any sort of broken down cliches, and which pushes the lyrics with a charm that really comes through, even past the simpler recording techniques. Most numbers feature deft guitar work from Broonzy alongside the vocals – and titles include "Brownskin Shuffle", "Banker's Blues", "Stove Pipe Stomp", "Hokum Stomp", "Hip Shakin Strut", "I Can't Be Satisfied", and "Saturday Night Rub". LP, Vinyl record album

Just when we've thought we've heard everything Peter Brotzmann has to offer – out comes a record like this, and blows us away all over again! As you'd guess from the title, Brotzmann's working here in a Chinese setting – mixing with younger players we'd never heard before – including Li Tiequiao on alto and Scandinavian spring flute, and Xu Fengxia on zither, sanxian, and voice – a strange style of singing that really makes for an amazing moment on one track! The quartet also features Kristian Mondrup Nielsen on drums – and Brotzmann plays searing tenor, alto, and clarinet – but often changes his phrasing to meet the moods of the younger players – especially at moments when Fengxia is in the forefront. Amazing stuff – and the CD features titles that include "Deciduous Carnival", "Walking In Wu Men", "Beijing Legend", "798 Art District", "Moat", and "Feel As If We Were Visiting Our Country Of Birth". DVD features all these tracks, plus two more! CD

Just when we've thought we've heard everything Peter Brotzmann has to offer – out comes a record like this, and blows us away all over again! As you'd guess from the title, Brotzmann's working here in a Chinese setting – mixing with younger players we'd never heard before – including Li Tiequiao on alto and Scandinavian spring flute, and Xu Fengxia on zither, sanxian, and voice – a strange style of singing that really makes for an amazing moment on one track! The quartet also features Kristian Mondrup Nielsen on drums – and Brotzmann plays searing tenor, alto, and clarinet – but often changes his phrasing to meet the moods of the younger players – especially at moments when Fengxia is in the forefront. Amazing stuff – and the CD features titles that include "Deciduous Carnival", "Walking In Wu Men", "Beijing Legend", "798 Art District", "Moat", and "Feel As If We Were Visiting Our Country Of Birth". DVD features all these tracks, plus two more! CD

One of the first great sessions from FMP Records in the 80s – and an album that really shows the creative growth at the label since its start! The music is played by a very hip trio – with Peter Brotzmann on e flat clarinet, tarogato, tenor, alto, and baritone – plus Harry Miller on bass and Louis Moholo on drums – both players from the British scene who really seem to help Brotzmann find this new sort of space in his music – an ear for more subtle sound textures and tones that's spun out beautifully over the course of the double-length record. We might well say that this record is as important to the later generation of FMP as Machine Gun was to the first – and regardless, it's still an essential treasure for any fan of Brotzmann, or free jazz in general. Titles include "Open But Hardly Touched", "Double Meaning", "Special Request For Malibu", and "Eine Kleine Nachmarie". LP, Vinyl record album